December 2018
31st - Farthing Downs: 18.00: 3 Tawny Owl calling, 1 from New Hill, 1 from the direction of Boxers Wood, 1 From Coulsdon Common direction. (DH) * 31st - Park Hill School playing field (11.45 am): at least 32 Redwing, 10 Starlings and one Goldfinch feeding on the pitches (AJP) * 31st - Chepstow Rise (Park Hill): the female Great Spotted Woodpecker reported outside our flat on 25th December spent at least an hour at the nest or roost(?) hole in the ash tree each day from 24th to 30th December. On the first few days she was working busily on enlarging the hole, leaving quite a carpet of wood-chips on the pavement below, but on more recent days she spent more time within the hole, sometimes with just her head protruding. I didn't see her at the hole today but when I wheeled Allie out to go to a medical appointment mid-morning a pair of woodpeckers were present in an adjacent tree and as we left so did they, flying off to the north. Happy 2019 to the GSW pair! (John P) * 31st - Waddon Ponds:12.30-14.30. 5 Mute Swan, 26 Canada Goose inc ringed birds 5261963 & 5277676, 2 Egyptian Goose, 14 Mallard, 9 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Moorhen, 13 Coot, 95 Black-headed Gull inc ringed birds white VBA, black XN31, EZ55,162 & HA34,126, 4 Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Woodpigeon, 1 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Blackcap (f&m), 3 Starling, 1 Blackbird (Bird Arrivals at Waddon Ponds) * 30th - Waddon Ponds: 12.00-13.30. 5 Mute Swan, 19 Canada Goose, 2 Mallard, 1 Little Egret flew over, 3 Little Grebe, 6 Moorhen, 10 Coot, 76 Black-headed Gull inc ringed birds white VBA, black XN31, HA34,126 & EZ55,162, 3 Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Woodpigeon, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 1 Blue Tit, 9 Starling, 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 7 House Sparrow, 3 Goldfinch (Bid Arrivals at Waddon Ponds) * 29th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (12.30pm):pair of Kestrels circling/calling/ interacting very low over rlwy land (GH) * 28th - South Norwood Country Park: Pair of Mute Swans displaying briefly. (DMac by email) * 26th - Sanderstead (Lime Meadow Avenue): Lesser Redpoll. (Paul Vereycken by email) * 26th - Riddlesdown: 4 Treecreepers, Goldcrest, 9 Long-tailed Tits. (Nicola Hunt by email) * 25th - Riddlesdown: 6 Jays, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Meadow Pipit, Kestrel. (Nicola Hunt by email) * 25th - Purley (Lower Barn Road): Sparrowhawk. (Nicola Hunt by email) * 25th - Chepstow Rise (Park Hill). 08:15: For the second morning running, I've been able to watch from my desk as a female Great Spotted Woodpecker enlarges a nest(?) hole in a sickly-looking roadside ash outside our flat. Now and again passing Redwings pause for a while higher up in the next tree and Wood Pigeons doze nearby. (John Parish) * 24th - Purley (Lower Barn Road): 220 Jackdaws flew NW at 16:15 heading to roost somewhere. (Nicola Hunt by email) * 24th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Sparrowhawk over; 3rd raptor species in 2 days. (JB) * 23rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Buzzard over, mobbed by a Crow, then a Kestrel mobbed by a Crow drifted over from above Sanderstead URC. (JB) * 22nd - Wandle Park: Goldcrest. (Sue Henning by email) * 21st - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (7pm): single Redwing calling low overhead (GH) * 20th - Central Croydon: 12+ Pied Wagtails at North End roost. (Ashley Haworth-Roberts by email) * 20th - Coombe Wood: Firecrest, Sparrowhawk. (Sue Henning by email) * 19th - South Norwood Country Park: 3 Little Egret. (JAH) * 18th - Croham Hurst GC: 2 Buzzards. (Graham Collins by email) * 18th - Purley: Buzzard calling and flying over Lower Barn Road 7.20am (NH) * 17th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 33 Greylag Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, 24 Shoveler, 3 Cormorant, Little Grebe, 3 Water Rail, Snipe, Common Gull, 5 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, Tawny Owl, 3 Kestrel, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 2 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 2 Greenfinch, Siskin. (JAH) * 16th - Norbury: 09.45. Jackdaw landed for short while in garden. Only ever had one fly over (SEC) * 15th - Waddon Ponds: 10.00-11.00. Mute Swan family, 32 Canada Goose inc locally ringed bird 5277676, 8 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 9 Moorhen, 12 Coot, 106 Black-headed Gull inc ringed birds black XN31 (German) & white VBA (Danish), 2 Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Herring Gull inc ringed bird yellow HXLVL (German), 1 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 House Sparrow (Bird Arrivals at Waddon Ponds) * 15th - Mitchley Avenue: Sparrowhawk over at 10.20am (NH) * 15th - Lloyd Park: Woodcock.(CP) - Can you please provide full name (Admin) * 14th - Lloyd Park (12:45): Two Mistle Thrushes plunging into a growth of mistletoe 3ft across presumably to reach berries. They were immediately imitated by a Ring-necked Parakeet. A third Mistle Thrush was singing from a tree top close-by. (John Parish) * 14th - South Norwood Lake: 1 Mute Swan, 10 Canada Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, 18 Mallard, 21 Tufted Duck, 3 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1m Kestrel, 20 Coot, 17 Moorhen, 30 Black-headed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Collared Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Coal Tit, 5 House Sparrow, 8 Goldfinch (JW) * 14th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 9 Greylag Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, 20 Shoveler, 2 Water Rail, Snipe, 4 Common Gull, 6 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, Tawny Owl, Kestrel, Peregrine, Goldcrest, 4 Fieldfare, Redwing, 4 Siskin. (JAH) * 14th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Blackcap calling, Goldcrest singing, Dunnock singing. All in freezing conditions. (JB) * 13th - New Addington/Layhams Farm: EWBS count included 2 Buzzards (Layhams area), 1 Sparrowhawk (hunting along hedge that borders Croydon and Bromley) 1 Skylark, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing (all Layhams), Song Thrush singing (hedge between Croydon and Bromley). (JB) * 12th - Buzzard over Riddlesdown Avenue 2.15 pm (NH) * 12th - South Croydon: Information received that a couple of Tawny Owls are calling most nights near Chestnut Grove/The Gallops. (Admin) * 12th - Sanderstead: Buzzard mobbed by parakeets in Sanderstead Plantation and a Kestrel near Onslow Gardens during my first winter bird survey. (JB) * 12th - West Croydon Railway Station: A Song Thrush has been singing before dawn for over a week. It is based in trees near the London end of Platforms 1/3 (Ian Young) * 11th - St Andrews Road, Coulsdon: Tawny owl calling at 04.30. (DH) * 11th - Central Croydon: 30+ Pied Wagtails roosting in North End. (JB) * 10th - Wandle Park: WeBS count. 2 Egyptian Geese (including ringed bird) present when first visited, but absent later. 8 Mallard, 2 Moorhens, 7 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Herring Gull, 4+ Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 150+ Starlings, 80+ Crows. (JB) * 10th - Waddon Ponds: WeBS count 09:00-09:35. 5 Mute Swans, 28 Canada Geese (inc 3 ringed birds), 2 Egyptian Geese flew in about 09:25 (presumably the birds from Wandle Park), 34 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 16 Coot, 11 Moorhens, 104 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 4 Herring Gulls, 1 Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming. (JB) * 10th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Water Rail, Snipe, Tawny Owl. (JAH) * 9th - Coulsdon Common: Flock of Siskins near the pond, Buzzard over. (Nicola Hunt by email) * 8th - Central Croydon: 15-20 Pied Wagtails roosting in North End near Next. (Ashley Haworth-Roberts by email) * 8th - Riddlesdown: Kestrel, 15 Redwing. (Nicola Hunt) * 7th - Mapledale Ave: Red-legged Partridge still present (PP) * 5th - Wandle Park: 2 Blackcaps (m&f), 2 Egyptian Geese, Nuthatch, Coal Tit. (Sue Henning by email) * 5th - Farthing Downs: 1 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Song Thrush, 20+ Jackdaw, 3 Bullfinch, 1 Greenfinch (first I've seen on the Downs for months), 5 Redwing, 3 Dunnock, 1 Green Woodpecker. (DH) * 5th - Devilsden Wood: 17 very noisy Ring Necked Parakeet, (unfortunately), 3 Treecreeper, 3 Siskin over, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, several Goldcrest, at least 3 Long Tiled Tits. (DH) * 4th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (8am): Song Thrush singing briefly on rlwy land (GH) * 4th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (1.30pm): juv Mistle Thrush in my garden sycamore for 5 mins (first sighting in garden in decades!) (GH) * 4th - South Norwood Lake: (07:45:09:15) 1 Mute Swan (with silver ring right leg W36119), 15 Canada Goose, 15 Mallard, 17 Tufted Duck, 5 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 12 Moorhen, 18 Coot, 30 Black-headed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, 4 Collared Dove, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Jackdaw, 3 House Sparrow, 10 Goldfinch, 3 Siskin (JW) The swan was ringed as a nestling at Battersea Park on 29/6/14, then was reported several times at Wimbledon Park from 2/10/16 until driven off in autumn 2018. Admin * 4th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 19 Greylag Goose, 11 Shoveler, Cormorant, 6 Water Rail, Snipe, 5 Common Gull, 2 Stock Dove, 10 Collared Dove, Kestrel, 2 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, 5 Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Stonechat, Grey Wagtail, 7 Greenfinch. (JAH) * 2nd - Croham Hurst golf course (11.45am). Buzzard being mobbed by crows. Also a kestrel earlier. (DAL) * 2nd - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (8am): Kestrel being mobbed by crow & Stock Dove calling on rlwy land (GH)